Sauna Yoga Combo: Here’s How It Doubles Heat Therapy Benefits

There’s a new buzzword in the world of heat therapy called ‘sauna yoga’. I am sure you’d have come across this new combination; and if not, you have now.  

So, what’s the big deal about the sauna and yoga combo? 

Well, if reviews from sauna experts and regular bathers are any suggestion, this duo simply 
doubles the health and wellness benefits. 

You see, this is like two great ancient therapies complementing each other and ultimately having some incredible effects on your body and mind. 

Now, you might be curious how a hot Steamist sauna and yoga go hand in hand. More importantly, you’d be eager to know how exactly you can benefit from the duo. 

Read on, as I’ve detailed everything about the yoga sauna combo, including their benefits and dangers plus how exactly you should use them. 
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What is a sauna yoga combination all about? 

Before we get into the specifics, let’s first understand what a hot sauna and yoga duo is all about. 

As you might already have guessed, this particular heat therapy method involves performing yoga in sauna. Meaning, unlike a sauna before massage or after workout that calls for a separate sauna session for enhanced benefits, you do both yoga and sauna together. 

Herein, the sauna is heated at a comfortable temperature of about 100 degrees Fahrenheit rather than the usual temperature range of 150-190 degrees Fahrenheit. This ensures that your body is well heated and you start sweating, but at the same time, you don’t get overwhelmed by the heat. 

The idea is simple: You should be able to perform the various yoga poses while sauna bathing but without the risk of heat-related illnesses. 

Note: A hot sauna yoga is different from Bikram yoga 

If you are someone who has been practicing yoga for some time now, you might have heard about Bikram yoga. This is similar to doing yoga in sauna where practitioners undertake their sessions in a warm room. 

So, it is very easy to confuse a yoga sauna with Bikram yoga since both involve a warm ambiance. 

But let me tell you that both yoga practices are completely different and Bikram yoga has nothing to do with sauna room yoga. 

Here’s how Bikram yoga is different from a yoga session in sauna: 

• Bikram yoga is performed in a hot room with a temperature range of 105-110 degrees Fahrenheit. A yoga sauna ambiance, on the other hand, doesn’t exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit. 
• It is mostly yoga studios fitted with large heaters for Bikram yoga, unlike a yoga sauna which is performed in traditional sauna rooms. 
• Yoga rooms for Bikram yoga have humidity levels between 40 and 50 percent, which isn’t the case in a sauna. 
• Bikram yoga involves a set of 26 yoga poses that practitioners must perform, contrary to sauna room yoga which offers a lot of flexibility.

​How does yoga in sauna enhance heat therapy benefits?

Whether you’re a regular sauna bather or you’ve had just a handful of sauna sessions, you know the heat therapy benefits that you can avail in a sauna. 

So, if there’s one big question that you might have, it’ll surely be: How can a few yoga poses increase the benefits of sauna?  

The answer is: In more ways than you can probably imagine. So much so, that experts claim yoga sauna workouts to 2X the overall benefits. 

And as someone who’s closely associated with saunas and sauna bathers, I can’t agree more. 

In fact, there are numerous studies to back the idea of yoga enhancing sauna benefits. 

All in all, here’s how yoga in sauna room increases the health benefits by up to twofold: 

1. It minimizes the chances of heart diseases 

Sauna bathing has been associated with improved cardiovascular health, there’s nothing new here. 

In fact, there’s scientific evidence of the hot sauna ambiance simulating a jog or cardio-based workout by increasing your heart rate. And this, in turn, reduces the chances of cardiovascular problems, especially among the elderly and people with pre-existing symptoms. 

Now, what’s the added advantage of yoga, you might wonder?

Well, practicing yoga in the warmth of a sauna goes on to strengthen your overall heart muscles. Also, it improves your overall metabolic function.  

As a result, the chances of you developing heart illnesses or facing a cardiac arrest are reduced significantly. 

2. Yoga + sauna = Amplified weight loss

When it comes to supporting your weight loss training, saunas are considered one of the best solutions. 

And while there’s a lot of skepticism around saunas actually being able to reduce weight, a PubMed study claims it increases metabolic rate by over 25 percent. This is like doing an exercise or taking a walk. 

I’ve written a detailed blog about this explaining how many calories can you exactly lose in a sauna. 

Talking about including yoga in this process, well it has a domino effect. That’s because as you perform those complex yoga moves and poses in the sauna, your heart rate rises, and your body works hard to burn those calories for energy. 

To be precise, this is like an intense aerobic exercise like running in the park or on the treadmill. 

Sounds awesome, doesn’t it?

3. Sauna yoga makes your body flexible 

Sauna bathing is the perfect way to relax your muscles and increase their stretchability, you may already know this. Moreover, as a sauna bather, you might even have experienced reduced muscle pain and soreness after a sauna session.  

And this brings your body in just the perfect condition for yoga to do its magic. 

How?

As per a journal published in MDPI, adding yoga to your sauna routine enhances the existing therapeutic elements by increasing your body’s flexibility, strength, and balance. 

Also, since your muscles are already in a relaxed state, you’ll feel more profound effects of yoga in the form of reduced inflammation, relief in chronic pain, and more. 

4. Improves lung capacity 

Yet another advantage of yoga sauna workouts is improvement in lung capacity. And this is especially advantageous for individuals whose lungs have weakened due to age or health conditions like asthma, obesity, etc. 

You see, this concept is quite practical: On the one hand, your lungs work hard to get oxygen in the sauna, and on the other hand, breathing-based yoga moves strengthen lung capacity. 

For instance, doing pranayama or deep breathing yoga at the start of your sauna session expands your lungs and diaphragm. And doing this while your lungs are already working at their peak gradually builds up lung capacity. 

5. It's the perfect anti-aging recipe 

Sauna bathing causes exfoliation where you sweat profusely and flush out all those toxins lurking around your skin and elsewhere. As a result, you experience naturally radiant skin in just a single sauna session. 

In fact, this is also when your dead skin cells get replaced by the healthy ones. 

Now, as you add yoga to this whole process, you’re in for a one-of-a-kind bonanza called anti-aging. That’s because while yoga is already linked to a ton of skin benefits, doing so in a heated atmosphere also leads to healthy and young skin. 

6. Perfect for stress relief 

Let’s admit it, our lifestyles have made us all prone to stress and anxiety. And the number one reason for this is cortisol or stress hormones. 

Saunas and steam rooms are well-known for their ability to reduce cortisol levels, thanks to the warm ambiance that helps achieve this. 

At the same time, there’s research claiming that yoga too reduces cortisol significantly in both healthy individuals as well as people with psychiatric disorders. 

So, when you do yoga sauna together, you’re sure to come out of it relaxed and stress-free. 

Also read - When Is The Best Time To Use A Sauna? 

Yoga in sauna: What poses should you try?

Having seen the benefits of doing yoga in sauna, you might well be curious about what yoga poses you can try in the sauna. 

Well, the best part about regular or infrared sauna yoga is that you don’t have to go for advanced-level yoga poses. That’s because the most basic yoga poses are the ones that pair best with a sauna session. 

Overall, here are four poses that you can try in traditional or infrared hot yoga: 

1. Mountain pose or tadasana 

This is a basic yoga pose where you stand upright bringing your feet together, aligning your spine, and relaxing your shoulders and arms. It improves your body’s posture, strengthens your feet, and improves your body’s alignment. 

2. Corpse pose or savasana 

Yet another beginner-level yoga pose, this is something you’ll want to practice towards the end of your sauna session. Herein, you lie flat on your back, your legs are extended, and your feet are slightly apart. 

This pose is linked to reducing cortisol hormones and stress levels since it promotes relaxation and calm.

3. Bridge pose or setu bandhasana

Here, you lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and hip-width apart. The practice involves pressing into your feet and arms and lifting your hips toward the ceiling, all while keeping your thighs and feet parallel.

The pose improves circulation, relieves mild backache, and also stimulates abdominal organs.

4. Cat-cow pose or marjaryasana-bitilasana

The cat-cow pose involves a gentle flow between two poses that stretches your spine and improves flexibility. You’ll begin on your hands and knees in a tabletop position, with your wrists directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips.

Now, while the cat pose is all about Inhaling as you arch your back, the cow pose involves exhaling as you round your back toward the ceiling. 

Sounds complicated? 

You can watch this video tutorial on how to practice a cat-cow pose. 

What are the best practices for a yoga sauna session? 

A yoga sauna is different from your regular sauna bath. And it’d have surely made you curious about how you can proceed with this combo. 

So, here are a few best practices that you should follow to keep your session safe and make the best out of it: 

1. The sauna room temperature should be around 100 degrees Fahrenheit and never exceed 110 degrees Fahrenheit. For instance, if you use a Mr Steam sauna, use your Mr Steam controller to set the thermostat at the above temperature range. 

2. Drink plenty of fluids before your yoga sauna. Also, a light and healthy snack like an apple or dry fruit will help, but never go on an empty stomach. 

3. If you’re starting out with a yoga sauna, keep your sessions limited to 15-20 minutes. You can gradually increase this to 40-45 minutes.

4. Take breaks in between your yoga sessions. 

5. Once you’ve completed your session, let your body cool down completely and then take a refreshing cold shower. 

Wondering which sauna heater is the best for hot sauna yoga? 

Read 8 Best Sauna Heaters In 2024 to find out. 

Sauna yoga: Frequently asked questions 

Can you do yoga in sauna every day? 

Yes, you can. 

But the catch here is to follow the safety precautions and not push yourself too much. That’s because there are chances of heat-related illnesses from intense activities like these. 

And this goes for both traditional Finnish and infrared sauna yoga sessions. 

How long should your yoga sauna session be? 

If you’re a beginner, you can start with a 15-20 minute session and increase your heat tolerance levels over time to take it to 40-45 minutes. 

Who should avoid yoga sauna?

While yoga in a mildly heated sauna room is considered safe, pregnant women and individuals with pre-existing health conditions should avoid it. 

Conclusion
 
As you can see, the benefits of yoga and sauna combo are quite fascinating. After all, it's just a few simple yoga poses that go on to increase the benefits of heat therapy manifold. 

For instance, while saunas give you radiant skin, you can also have the benefit of anti-aging by simply adding yoga to the session. 

Not to mention the stress relief benefits that you’re sure to find especially handy. 

Ever wondered what’s the best way you can enjoy yoga in sauna? 

Well, you can install a sauna right in your home and enjoy hot yoga sauna sessions every day. 

Not sure how to go about with a home sauna? 

Do reach out to us!

At Steam and Sauna Experts,, we are seasoned sauna installation experts with an extensive inventory from industry-leading manufacturers like  Amerec, Mr Steam, Delta, and more

In short, we’ve got all your residential sauna needs covered. 

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